Gilbert Melendez
Gilbert Melendez is a lightweight fighting currently for the UFC. He is also the two-time former Strikeforce lightweight champion who also fought for the UFC. He has notable victories over Clay Guida, Josh Thomson, Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri and Jorge Masvidal. Twilight of Melendez's Strikeforce career Melendez was most recently next set to fight a rubber match with Josh Thomson defending his lightweight title against his rival and friend. Thomson came into the fight that earned him a title shot with hand and knee injuries however and despite winning, he was suspended for one hundred and eighty days to recover. Instead, Thomson was defeated by Tatsuya Kawajiri at the year-end Dynamite show. Melendez instead defended his title in Strikeforce in a rematch against the debuting Kawajiri. He won via devastating first round TKO due to elbows. Melendez next defended his lightweight title against Jorge Masvidal, defeating Masvidal via a less-than-exciting unanimous decision. Melendez was next rumored to defend his Strikeforce title against newcomer and UFC veteran Gray Maynard. Instead, Melendez next signed to defend his title for perhaps the last time in a rubber match against Josh Thomson. He defeated Thomson via an extremely controversial split decision. He was next set to defend his title for the final time against contender Pat Healy at Strikeforce's last show in January 2013, but he was ostensibly injured and forced to pull out. UFC Debut And Title Unification Bout He was next set to come over to the UFC finally and receive an immediate title shot against UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson. Melendez was confirmed in January 2013 for a UFC debut in a title unification bout with Henderson in late April 2013. Henderson and Melendez went back and forth over twenty-five minutes with Melendez waning late and losing a razor-thin split decision to the UFC champion. Battling Back and Contract Issues Melendez next fought veteran Diego Sanchez. The two went to war for fifteen minutes, exchanging back and forth like the two warriors they were. After a bloody contest Melendez was awarded the unanimous decision but it could well be said that both men won that night. Commentator Joe Rogan called it "the greatest fight of all time" and this amateur analyst would have to agree with Rogan. Melendez was next linked to a match with undefeated phenom Khabib Nurmagomedov but the UFC and Melendez couldn't agree on contract negotiations as the Sanchez fight had been his last on his previous contract. Melendez ended up signing with Bellator ending his short UFC run. TUF and Another Title Shot The UFC had a matching clause in Melendez's previous contract and ended up matching Bellator's ambitious offer and re-signing Melendez. He was given an immediate title shot against UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis later in 2014 after coaching opposite Pettis in the twentieth season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show. Pettis ended up defeating Melendez via second round guillotine choke submission, the first time Melendez had ever been submitted in his pro career. Battling Back Melendez next signed to fight longtime rival and former Bellator middleweight champion Eddie Alvarez in Mexico. Despite breaking Alvarez's nose in the first round, Melendez ended up succumbing to the high altitude of Mexico City and becoming winded. Alvarez pulled ahead to earn a razor-thin split decision. Melendez wasted very little time -- less than a week -- signing to fight again, stepping in to replace the injured Bobby Green against surging contender Al Iaquinta in San Diego on just under a month's notice. Fights *Gilbert Melendez vs. Olaf Alfonso - The fight was for the inaugural WEC lightweight title. Gilbert Melendez later vacated the title. *Gilbert Melendez vs. Hiroyuki Takaya - The fight was the lightweight debut -- and the first loss -- for Hiroyuki Takaya. *Gilbert Melendez vs. Harris Sarmiento - The fight was Melendez's Strikeforce debut. *Gilbert Melendez vs. Clay Guida - The fight was for the Strikeforce lightweight title with Clay Guida defending. *Gilbert Melendez vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri 1 - The fight was for Pride. Melendez came into the fight undefeated. *Gilbert Melendez vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida 1 - Melendez came into the fight undefeated and it was his first loss. *Gilbert Melendez vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida 2 - The fight was for the Strikeforce interim title with Melendez defending. *Shinya Aoki vs. Gilbert Melendez - The fight was for the Strikeforce lightweight title with Melendez defending. The fight was also Shinya Aoki's Strikeforce debut. Melendez broke his hand during the fight. *Gilbert Melendez vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri 2 - The fight was for the Strikeforce lightweight title with Gilbert Melendez defending. The fight was the Strikeforce debut of Tatsuya Kawajiri. *Gilbert Melendez vs. Jorge Masvidal - The fight was for the Strikeforce lightweight title with Melendez defending. *Anthony Pettis vs. Gilbert Melendez - The fight was for the UFC lightweight title with Anthony Pettis defending. *Eddie Alvarez vs. Gilbert Melendez Category:Lightweight fighters Category:WEC lightweight champions Category:Strikeforce lightweight champions Category:Bellator fighters